Georgia.

• Position: Peacewatch: Spot Stories

The Security Council on 8 May called upon the parties to the conflict in Georgia, particularly the Abkhaz side, to "intensify the search for a peaceful solution by further expanding their contacts", and asked the Secretary-General to "make available all appropriate support if so requested by the parties".

Through a statement by Council President Park Soo Gil of the Republic of Korea, it also expressed full support for the Secretary-General's intention to convene a meeting with both sides to "map out the areas where concrete political progress can be made". It encouraged the Secretary-General to explore the idea of revitalizing the Coordinating Commission, set up in May 1994, and establishing expert groups on questions of mutual interest. It welcomed his intention to appoint a resident Special Representative, as a successor to his current Special Envoy for Georgia, and strengthen the political element of the United Nations Observer Mission in Georgia (UNOMIG).

The Council stressed the primary responsibility of the parties for reinvigorating the peace process and reaffirmed its full support for a more active role of the United Nations, with the assistance of the Russian Federation as facilitator, to achieve a comprehensive political settlement.

The Council remained "deeply concerned at the continued deterioration of the security conditions in the Gall region", including acts of violence by armed groups, indiscriminate laying of mines and armed robbery, and the resulting deterioration of the safety and security of the local populations, of the refugees and displaced persons returning to the region, and of personnel of UNOMIG and the Collective Peacekeeping Forces of the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS). It condemned the acts of violence which had led to the loss of life of the members of the CIS peacekeeping force.

In other developments, Major-General Harun-Ar-Rashid of Bangladesh on 1 May succeeded Major-General Per Kallstrom of Sweden, who had completed his assignment on 30 April and returned to the service of his Government.

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